Telephone Status, Attitudes Toward Participation in Future Surveys, and Willingness

to Join a Local Survey Panel: Data from Two Dual Frame RDD Landline / Cell Surveys

Scott Beach & Donald Musa

University Center for Social and Urban Research

Presented at the 67th Annual AAPOR Conference

Orlando, FL, May 19, 2012

Introduction • Inclusion of cell phones in RDD now standard

practice

• Slightly more than 30% of U.S. adults are cell only (NHIS) – ever growing

• We know cell only households are different – demographically (younger; live with unrelated roommates; renters; lower income; minorities) and on certain health indicators (↑binge drinking; ↑ smoking; ↓ health insurance; ↑ tested for HIV)

• Fewer differences on social and political attitudes

Introduction • Less known about telephone ownership status

and attitudes and preferences towards survey participation and willingness to join survey panels

• Generally lower response rates, more costly to conduct cell phone surveys

• Are cell-only/mostly adults less inclined to do surveys? Or more inclined to do only short surveys?

• What survey modes do they prefer?

Methods • Two RDD surveys in Pittsburgh (PA) metro area • Overlapping dual frame designs – interviewed on

either cell or landline regardless of ownership of other type of phone – no screening for cell-only

• Used standard items (NHIS; Pew Center) to determine telephone status:

wireless only (WO) wireless mostly (WM) dual user (DU) landline mostly (LM) landline only (LO) • Also examined interview type (cell / LL) within WM, DU,

LM • All analyses are un-weighted (descriptive /

methodological)

Methods: Telephone Status Measures (Both surveys – phone ownership screener question)

• Is this landline phone your only phone or do you also have a cell phone? By cellular telephone, we mean a telephone that is mobile and usable outside of your neighborhood.

• Is this cell phone your only phone or do you have a regular landline telephone at your residence? By regular landline telephone, we mean a telephone in a home that is connected to outside telephone lines through a cable, a cord, or an Internet connection and is used for making or receiving calls.

(Dual LL & cell owner follow-ups – differed for two surveys)

Survey 1 Survey 2

Thinking about all of the personal phone calls you make and receive, do you make and receive more personal calls with your landline phone (LM), more calls with your cell phone (WM), or is it about equal (DU)?

Of all the telephone calls that you receive, are… 1. All or almost all calls received on a cell phone (WM) 2. Some calls received on a cell phone and some received on regular landline phone (DU) 3. Very few or no calls received on a cell phone (LM)

Methods: Description of Two Surveys Survey 1

Allegheny Co. (Pittsburgh) PA Survey 2

Pittsburgh MSA (7 counties)

Dates fielded

June – August, 2010 January – March, 2011

July – November, 2011

Average survey length

15 minutes

30 minutes

General topic

Telephone usage; technology usage;

attitudes towards surveys

Regional quality of life

Key outcomes

Likelihood of future cell phone survey participation; longest cell phone survey

would do in future; preferred survey modes (general; sensitive)

Willing to join local survey panel?

(Asked after survey completed)

AAPOR response rates

LL: 55% contact*39% coop.=21.5% RR Cell: 64% contact*32% coop.=20.3% RR Total: 60% contact*35% coop.=20.9% RR

LL: 50% contact*26% coop.=12.7% RR Cell: 57% contact*19% coop.=10.7% RR Total: 51% contact*24% coop.=12.0% RR

Final landline/cell sample sizes

LL: 397 (50 %) Cell: 398 (50%) Total: 795

LL: 1,688 (76%) Cell: 520 (24%) Total: 2,208

Telephone status sample sizes

WO: 138 (17%) WM: 264 (33%) DU: 147 (19%) LM: 174 (22%) LO: 69 (9%)

WO: 192 (9%) WM: 334 (15%) DU: 779 (35%) LM: 571 (26%) LO: 322 (15%)

Gender (%) by Phone Status/Interview Type

57 55 51 51

29 39 36 36

43 45 49 49

71 61 64 64

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

WO (C)(138)

WM (C)(142)

WM (L)(122)

DU (C)(71)

DU (L)*(76)

LM (C)(46)

LM (L)(128)

LO (L)(69)

Female

Male

WO: wireless

only (n=138)

WM: wireless

mostly (n=264)

DU: dual use

(n=147)

LM: landline

mostly (n=174)

LO: landline only

(n=69)

(C): cell interview

(n=397)

(L): LL interview

(n=395) Telephone status sub-group sample size in parentheses * p<.05 cell vs. landline interview within phone status

Age (%) by Phone Status/Interview Type

49

26 14 14

5 2 2

31

28

27 30

21

7 9 10

18

42

49 37

49

52 45 37

2 4 10

19 24

39 46 51

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

WO (C) WM (C) WM (L)* DU (C) DU (L) LM (C) LM (L) LO (L)

65+

45-64

30-44

18-29

WO: wireless

only

WM: wireless

mostly

DU: dual use

LM: landline

mostly

LO: landline only

(C): cell interview

(L): LL interview

* p<.05 cell vs. landline interview within phone status

Methods: Survey 1 Attitude/Preference Items

Likelihood of future participation in cell phone surveys

What is the likelihood that you would participate in a future survey when contacted on your cell phone? 1. Very likely 2. Somewhat likely 3. Somewhat unlikely 4. Very unlikely

Longest future survey willing to do on cell phone

What is the longest survey you would be willing to do on a cell phone or mobile device? Please give me your answer in minutes. __________

Mode preference for future surveys (general)

If given your preference when participating in future research studies, would you rather … 1. Do an interview on your landline phone 2. Do an interview on your cell phone 3. Do a self-administered web survey on your personal computer 4. Do a self-administered web survey on your cell phone or other mobile device

Mode preference for future surveys (sensitive or health-related)

How about research studies involving sensitive or health-related questions? Would you rather… (Same response options)

Likelihood of Participating in Future Cell Phone

Survey (%) by Phone Status

8

23 27

51 29

22 21

16 51

44 43

25

12 11 9 8

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

WO WM DU LM

Very Likely

SomewhatLikely

Somewhatunlikely

Very Unlikely

WO: wireless only

(n = 136)

WM: wireless mostly

(n = 262)

DU: dual use

(n = 146)

LM: landline mostly

(n = 172)

Telephone status effect ** p < .01 Remains sig. controlling for sex, age, race, education, employment status (ordered logit model)

Likelihood of Participating in Future Cell Phone

Survey (%) by Phone Status/Interview Type

8 12

38

7

46

18

63

29 18

26

19

24

24

13

51 54

32

60

26

45

18

12 16 4

14 4

13 6

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

WO (C) WM (C) WM (L)* DU (C) DU (L)* LM (C) LM (L)*

Very Likely

SomewhatLikely

SomewhatUnlikely

Very Unlikely

WO: wireless only

WM: wireless mostly

DU: dual use

LM: landline mostly

LO: landline only

(C): cell interview

(L): LL interview

* p<.05 cell vs. landline interview within phone status

Longest Cell / Mobile Survey Willing to do in Future

(%) by Phone Status

1 7

15 25

37

46

45

41

43

34 30

26

19 13 10 8

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

WO WM DU LM

> 10 min.

5-10 min.

1-5 min.

0 min.

WO: wireless only

(n = 128)

WM: wireless mostly

(n = 242)

DU: dual use

(n = 136)

LM: landline mostly

(n = 159)

Telephone status effect ** p < .01 Remains sig. controlling for sex, age, race, education, employment status (OLS model)

Longest Cell / Mobile Survey Willing to do in Future

(%) by Phone Status/Interview Type

1 1 14

0

30

5

31 37 41

51

44

45

41

41

43 40

28

42

19

31

25 19 18

7 14

6

23

3

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

WO (C) WM (C) WM (L)* DU (C) DU (L)* LM (C) LM (L)*

> 10 min.

5-10 min.

1-5 min.

0 min.

WO: wireless only

WM: wireless

mostly

DU: dual use

LM: landline

mostly

LO: landline only

(C): cell interview

(L): LL interview

* p<.05 cell vs. landline interview within phone status

Mode Preference for Future Surveys (%) by

Phone Status

2

30

56

82 89

49

23

10

5

43 43

32

13 9 6 4 2 0

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

WO WM DU LM LO

Web/Mobile

Web/PC

Cell

Landline

WO: wireless only

(n = 127)

WM: wireless

mostly (n = 244)

DU: dual use

(n = 137)

LM: landline

mostly (n = 163)

LO: landline only

(N = 65)

Telephone status main effect ** p < .01 Remains sig. controlling for sex, age, race, education, employment status (Nominal logistic model)

Mode Preference for Future Surveys (%) by

Phone Status/Interview Type

2 12

51

32

78 65

87 89

49 40

4

21

18

1 2

43 43 42 42

22 17 12 9 6 5 3 5

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

WO (C) WM (C) WM (L)* DU (C) DU (L)* LM (C) LM (L)* LO (L)

Web/Mobile

Web/PC

Cell

Landline

WO: wireless

only

WM: wireless

mostly

DU: dual use

LM: landline

mostly

LO: landline only

(C): cell interview

(L): LL interview

* p<.05 cell vs. landline interview within phone status

Mode Preference for Future SENSITIVE / HEALTH

Surveys (%) by Phone Status

3

34

55

75 88

39

16

6

2

53 46

37

22

10 5 4 2 1

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

WO WM DU LM LO

Web/Mobile

Web/PC

Cell

Landline

WO: wireless

only (n = 123)

WM: wireless

mostly (n = 225)

DU: dual use

(n = 127)

LM: landline

mostly (n = 143)

LO: landline only

(n = 61)

Telephone status main effect ** p < .01 Remains sig. controlling for sex, age, race, education, employment status (Nominal logistic model)

Mode Preference for Future SENSITIVE / HEALTH

Surveys (%) by Phone Status/Interview Type

3 16

55 43

67 69 77

88

39 26

5

10

6 1

2

53 51

39 42

32 22 22

10 5 7 1 5

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

WO (C) WM (C) WM (L)* DU (C) DU (L)* LM (C) LM (L) LO (L)

Web/Mobile

Web/PC

Cell

Landline

WO: wireless

only

WM: wireless

mostly

DU: dual use

LM: landline

mostly

LO: landline only

(C): cell interview

(L): LL interview

* p<.05 cell vs. landline interview within phone status

Survey 2: Willingness to Join Survey / Research Panel

(After completion of regional QOL survey; n=2,208) “I have one more question for you. The University Center for Social and Urban Research (or “UCSUR”) at the University of Pittsburgh regularly conducts surveys and other research studies with local residents. The studies cover a variety of topics and require different types of participants.” “We are currently building a registry of local residents who are willing to be contacted for future surveys and research studies. Being included does not mean that you are committing to anything or that you will definitely be contacted. You would only be allowing us to include you in a list of potential participants.” Standard IRB language – only collecting contact and demographic information; may be contacted by phone, mail, or e-mail to participate in future surveys…… Would you be willing to be included in the University Center for Social and Urban Research registry?

% Willing to Join Survey Research Panel by

Phone Status (Overall 38% join rate)

41 45

40 37

29

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

WO WM DU LM LO

WO: wireless only

(n = 192)

WM: wireless mostly

(n = 334)

DU: dual use

(n = 778)

LM: landline mostly

(n = 571)

LO: landline only

(n = 322)

Telephone status main effect ** p < .01 Remains sig. controlling for sex, age, race, education, employment status (Logistic model)

% Willing to Join Survey Research Panel by

Phone Status/Interview Type

41 44 45

37 40

34 37

29

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

WO (C) WM (C) WM (L) DU (C) DU (L) LM (C) LM (L) LO (L)

WO: wireless

only

WM: wireless

mostly

DU: dual use

LM: landline

mostly

LO: landline only

(C): cell interview

(L): LL interview

No sig. cell vs. landline interview diffs. within phone status

% of Survey Panel Participants Providing E-Mail

Address for Web Surveys by Interview Type (n = 861)

74

58

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Cell Inteview (n = 191) LL Interview (n = 670)

Interview type effect ** p < .01

Summary • Wireless only and wireless mostly adults were more likely to:

- say they would participate in future cell phone surveys

- Be willing to participate in longer future cell phone surveys

- prefer cell phone (WO) or web via PC modes (WO & WM) for future surveys generally and for sensitive / health surveys

• Those interviewed by cell were more likely to show these trends than those interviewed by landline within the wireless mostly, dual user, and landline mostly groups

• Wireless only and wireless mostly adults were more likely to join a local survey / research panel than those who were landline mostly or landline only (no type of interview effects)

• Panel joiners interviewed by cell phone were more likely than those interviewed by landline to provide an e-mail address for future web surveys

Conclusions • Wireless only and wireless mostly adults reachable via dual

frame RDD telephone surveys report more positive attitudes towards future cell phone surveys and are actually more willing than landline only / mostly adults to join a survey panel

• WO & WM adults prefer cell phone and web-based modes for future surveys, and panel members who joined after competing a cell phone interview were in fact more likely to provide an e-mail

• They’re NOT trying to avoid us………. • Perhaps cell phone RRs will increase over time as cell phone

surveys become more common • Results have implications for tailoring mixed-mode surveys